Industrial truck attachment



Aug. 28, 1956 D. WIGHT ETAL ,7

INDUSTRIAL TRUCK ATTACHMENT Filed Sept. 1, 1953 4 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTORS. DELANO WIGHT JOSEPH L. BRADY ATTY Aug. 28, 1956 D. WIGHT ETAL INDUSTRIAL TRUCK ATTACHMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 1, 1953 IN V EN TORS.

DELANO WIGHT JOSEPH L. BRADY ATTY.

Aug. 28, 1956 WIGHT EI'AL 2,760,661

INDUSTRIAL. TRUCK ATTACHMENT F1 led Sept. 1, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 3

INVENTORS. DELANO WIGHT JOSEPH L. BRADY ATTY.

Aug. 28, 1956 D. WIGHT ETAL 2,760,661

INDUSTRIAL TRUCK ATTACHMENT Filed Sept. 1, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 4

- INVENTORS. DELANO WIGHT JOSEPH L. BRADY WM 16am ATTY.

usnusrnmr. Timex ATTACHMENT Delano Wight, Battle Creek, and Joseph L. Brady, Albion,

Mich assignors to Clark Equipment Company, a corporation of Michigan Application September 1, 1953, Serial No. 377,943

6 Claims. (Cl. 214-620) Our present invention relates generally to industrial trucks, and, more specifically, is directed to a swinging crane and winch attachment for use with industrial lift trucks.

It is an object of our present invention to provide, in the form of an attachment, a swinging crane and winch which may be employed with conventional industrial lift trucks.

It is a further object of our present invention to provide a swinging crane and winch, as noted, which comprises forwardly extending boom means, having load engaging means at the forward end thereof, which may be pivoted about a horizontal axis for elevating the load engaging means.

It is a still further object of our present invention to provide load engaging mechanism as described wherein the boom means may be pivoted about a vertical axis so as to be capable of engaging a load directly forwardly of the truck and then depositing the load at either side of the truck, or engaging a load at either side of the truck'and then depositing the load directly forwardly of the truck, or engaging a load at one side of the truck and depositing the load at the other side of the truck.

It is another object of our present invention to provide power actuated means for effecting pivotal movement of the boom means about the horizontal axis, wherein the power actuated means is arranged compactly below, and substantially parallel to, the boom means.

It is still another object of our present invention to provide forwardly extending platform means for receiving and supporting the boom means when the latter is horizontal to thereby relieve stresses on the power actuated means.

Our present invention comprises a boom support member which is adapted to be detachably secured to the load supporting carriage of an industrial truck. Mounted for rotary movement about a vertical axis within the boom support member is a saddle support member to which at the upper end is pivotally mounted, about a horizontal axis, the rear end of forwardly projecting boom means. Power actuated means extending generally horizontally and immediately below the boom means is connected at one end with the rear end of the boom means for effecting pivotal movement of the latter whereby the forward end thereof may be elevated.

In the preferred embodiment of our present invention, the saddle support member is provided with horizontal forwardly extending platform means to which the power actuated means is anchored at a point forwardly of the pivotal mounting of the boom means to the saddle support member. The platform means of the saddle support member is adapted to receive and support the boom means when the latter is horizontal to thereby relieve stresses on the power actuated means. Also, power driven winch means is carried by the saddle support member and includes an extensible and retractable load engaging member extending downwardly from the forward end of the boom means.

2,760,661 Patented Aug. 28, 1956 In the operation of our present invention, the load engaging member of the power driven winch means may be extended for engaging a load after which it may be retracted for raising the load from the ground. The load may be raised further by actuating the power actuated means for effecting upward pivotal movement of the boom means. The boom means may also be pivoted about the said horizontal and vertical axes during the engagement or depositing of a load and when so maneuvered serves to position the load engaging member at various distances from the front or sides of the truck.

Now, in order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of constructing and using load engaging mechanisms in accordance with the principles of our present invention, we shall describe in connection with the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of our present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an industrial truck with which the load engaging mechanism of our present invention has been embodied;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the load engaging mechanism of Figure 1; 6

Figure 3 is a front view of the load engaging mechanism of Figure 2 and Figure 4 is a partial plan view of the load engaging mechanism of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings, there is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, an industrial truck having a vertically extending mast construction 12 arranged at the forward end thereof. Slidably mounted for upward and downward movement within the mast 12 is a load supporting carriage 14. The load supporting carriage includes transversely extending upper and lower bar members 16 and 18.

Our present invention comprises a forwardly extending boom support member, indicated generally at 20, which has a vertical plate member 22 (see Fig. 2) de-v tachably mounted to the upper bar member 16 by means of flanges 24 and detachably secured to the lower-bar member 18 by means of bolts 26. The boom support member 20 is movable upwardly and downwardly conjointly with the load supporting carriage 14. A forwardly extending plate member 28 is secured, at its rear end, to the plate 22, intermediate of the ends thereof, and, at its forward end, supports a vertical journal tube 30, the latter of which is stabilized by diagonal side plates 32 extending between plate 22 and tube 30.

A saddle support member, indicated generally at 34, comprises a horizontal rectangular platform portion 36 which, in the mechanism shown in the drawings, is formed of channel members 38 interconnected, at their ends, by transversely extending spaced apart channel members 40. An intermediate channel member 42 cooperates with the rear channel 40 in supporting a horizontal plate 44 to which is secured a vertically downwardly extending sleeve member 46 that is supported on the upper end of the journal tube 30.

The upper end of a shaft 48 is secured in the sleeve 46 by pins 50 and extends through, and is journalled in, the tube 30. A block 52 is secured, as by bolts 54, to the lower end of the shaft 48 and supports the lower ends of inclined struts 56 which are secured, at their upper ends, to the forward end of the horizontal platform portion 36. The saddle support member 34 may be manually pivoted degrees in the journal tube 30 to either side of the truck 10. g

Journal blocks 5% are secured to the channel members 38 of the platform portion 36. The blocks 58 have aligned horizontal openings formed therein through which extends a horizontal shaft s2 that provides pivotal support for forwardly extending boom means indicated generally at 64.

The boom means 64 comprises side arm members 66 which, at their rear ends, are secured to the ends of the shaft 62, and, intermediate of their ends, are interconnected by a channel 68. The forward ends'of the arms 66 of the boom means 64 converge toward each other and serve to support a horizontal transverse pin 70 upon which is journalled a pulley 72. A cable 74 is trained over the pulley 72 and, at its forward lower end, carries a load engaging member, preferably in the form of a hook 76. The rear end of the cable 74 is adapted to be wound upon a winch assembly indicated generally at 78, which may be rotated in a known manner by means of a gear box 79 having a shaft 80 which is powered by a hydraulic fluid motor 82. The winch assemblyi'S, gear box 79 and fluid motor 82 are secured to the saddle support member 34 at the rear end thereof;

Fluid under pressure is'adapted to be, selectively admitted to the'fluid motor 82 at one side or the other for effecting rotary movement of the shaft 80 and winch assembly 78 in either direction for selectively winding or unwinding the cable 74- from the winch 78. The admission of fluid under pressure to the fluid motor 82 is under the remote control of the operator seated on the industrial truck 10.

Suitable power actuated means is provided for effecting pivotal movement of the boom means upwardly from the position shown in the drawings. The power actuated means comprises a pair of hydraulic actuating assemblies 84, one arranged on each side of the platform portion 36. Each assembly 84 comprises a cylinder 85 which is pivotally mounted, at its forward end, about a pin 86 carried by a flange member 83, secured, as by welding, to the outboard side of the adjacent channel member 38 of the platform portion 36.

Each assembly 84 further comprises a piston rod 93 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 92 carried at the free end of a crank arm 94 secured to the shaft 62 inboard of the adjacent arm member 66 of the boom means 64. Fluid under pressure is adapted to be selectively admitted to one end or the other of the cylinders 85 of the actuating assemblies 84 for distending or retracting the piston rods 90 in order to effect pivotal movement of the boom means 64. The admission of fluid under pressureto the cylinders 35 is under the remote control of the operator seated on the industrial truck 10. The truck is providedwith suitable fluid pressure developing means for selectively providing fluid under pressure for the fluid motor 82 and the cylinders 85 of the power actuated assemblies 84.

We shall now describe the operation of our present invention. If it is desired to engage a load with the hook member 76, the operator of the truck need only maneuver the latter so that the forward end of the boom means 64 is positioned above the load to be engaged. During this maneuver, the load supporting carriage 14 of the industrial truck may be raised orlowered as required. Fluid under pressure is then admitted to the fluid motor 82 for rotating the winch 78 whereby the cable 74 is played out until the hook member 76 is in position for engaging the load. The hook 76 is then manually placed in engagement with the load after which the fluid motor 82 is actuated for winding the cable 74 upon the winch 78 in order to effect raising of the book 76 and the load engaged thereby. If required, the load may be further raised by effecting elevation of the boom means 64 through the selective admission of fluid under pressure to the left endsof the cylinders 85', as viewed in Figure 2, for retracting the piston rods 90 and cansing counter-clockwise pivotal movement of the crank arms 94 and boom means 64. After the load has been raised from the ground, the truck 10 may be driven to the place where the load is to be deposited. If necessary, the

i 4 load supporting carriage 14 may be elevated within the mast 12.

After the truck 10 has been driven to the location where the load is to be deposited, the mechanism of our present invention permits the load to be deposited either in front of the truck or to either side thereof. With the mechanism of our present invention in the position shown in the drawings, the load may be deposited at the forward end of the truck 10 by admitting fluid under pressure to the fluid motor 82 for rotatingthe winch 78 so as to permit the ,cable 74 to be played out until the load engages the ground. After the load has been deposited, the hook member 76 may be disengaged manually from the load and the truck employed for engaging and transporting another load.

If it should be desired to deposit the load at one side or the other of the truck, after the latter has been driven alongside of the place of deposit, the boom means 66 may be manually pivoted, with the saddle support member 34, about this shaft 48 journalled' in the tube 30L In confined areas, should it be found impossible to swing the boom means 64 to the side of the truck as desired, fluid under pressure maybe admitted to the left ends of the cylinders 85, as viewed in Figure 2, for retracting the piston rods and causing counterclockwise pivotal movement of the crank arms 94 whereby elevation of the boom means 64 is effected. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, upward elevation of the forward end of the boom means 64 reduces the effective distance that the boom means 64 projectsaway from the saddle support member 34, thus permitting the boom means 64 to be pivoted to one side or the other of the truck in confined areas, for depositing the load closely adjacent to the side of the truck.

It is to be further understood in this connection that by elevating the forward end of the boom means 64, the latter may be employed for engaging, as well as for depositing, loads closely adjacent to the side of the truck 10. After a load has been engaged by the hook member 76 closely adjacent to the truck, the boom means 64 may be manually swung back to its normal forwardly projecting position at which time the industrial truck may be employed for transporting the engaged load to a place of deposit. In addition, at this point, fluid under pressure may be admitted to the right ends of the cylinders 85, as viewed in Figure 2, for distending the piston rods 90 and causing-clockwise pivotal movement of the crank arms 94 and boom means 64 back to the position shown in Figure 2.

The arrangement of the power actuated assemblies 84 in a substantially horizontal position immediately below the boom means 64 provides for a compact and economical structure.

It is to be further noted that when the boom means 64 is in its normal forwardly projecting horizontal position, as shown in Figure 2, the intermediate channel 68 of the boom means 64 rests upon the forward end of the platform portion 36 of the saddle support member 34 and, consequently, the power actuated assemblies 84 are relieved of all stresses which may be created by the weight of the boom means 64 and a load engaged thereby. In addition, since the plate 22 of the boom support member 20 is detachably secured to the bars 16 and 18 of the load supporting carriage '14, the swinging crane and winch assembly may be detached from the truck 10 as a unit and employed with other conventional industrial trucks. 1

Now, while we have shown and described what we believe to be a preferred embodiment of our present in vention, it will be understood that various modifications and rearrangements may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of our present invention.

We claim:

1. An attachment for use with an industrial truck having an upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage comprising, boom support means detachably connected to the load supporting carriage, forwardly projectin boom means pivotall mounted at its rear end to said boo-m support means about a horizontal axis, a load engaging member at the forward end of said boom means, and means mounted forwardly of said boom support means and operatively connected to the rear portion of said boom means for effecting pivotal movement of said boom means about the said horizontal axis whereby said load engaging member may be elevated.

2. For use with an industrial truck having an upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage, load engaging mech nism comprising a saddle support member adapted to be carried by the load supporting carriage, said saddie support member having horizontal forwardly extending platform means, forwardly projecting boom means pivotally mounted at its rear end to said saddle support member about a horizontal axis, a load engaging member carried at the forward end of said boom means, power actuated means carried by said forwardly extending platform means and having connection with said boom means for effecting pivotal movement of the latter about the said horizontal axis whereby said load engaging member may be elevated, and said platform means being adapted to receive and support said boom means when the latter is horizontal to thereby relieve stresses on said power actuated means.

3. An attachment for use with an industrial truck having an upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage comprising, boom support means detachably connected to the load supporting carriage, a saddle support member mounted to the boom support means for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, forwardly projecting boom means pivotally mounted at its rear end to said saddle support member about a horizontal axis, a load engaging member carried at the forward end of said boom means, and means carried by said saddle support member for effecting pivotal movement of said boom means about the said horizontal axis whereby the load engaging member may be elevated.

4. For use with an industrial truck having an upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage, load engaging mechanism comprising a saddle support member adapted to be mounted to the load supporting carriage for rotary movement about a vertical axis, said saddle support member having horizontal forwardly extending platform means, forwardly projecting boom means pivotally mounted at its rear end to said saddle support member about a horizontal axis, power actuated means extending generally horizontally immediately below said boom means, said power actuated means having connection at one end with the rear end of said boom means for effecting pivotal movement of the latter whereby said boom means may be elevated, said power actuated means being anchored to the platform means of said saddle support member forwardly of the said horizontal axis, a load engaging member carried at the forward end of said boom means, and the platform means of said saddle support member being adapted to receive said boom means when the latter is horizontal to thereby relieve stresses on said power actuated means.

5. For use with an industrial truck. having an upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage, load engaging mechanism comprising a boom support member adapted to be secured to the load supporting carriage, a saddle support member mounted in said boom support member for rotary movement about a vertical axis, said saddle support member having horizontal forwardly extending platform means, forwardly projecting boom means pivotally mounted at its rear end to said saddle support member about a horizontal axis, a load engaging member carried at the forward end of said boom means, power actuated means carried by said saddle support member for effecting pivotal movement of said boom means about the said horizontal axis whereby said load engaging member may be elevated, and the platform means of said saddle support member being adapted to receive and support said boom means when the latter is horizontal to thereby relieve stresses on said power actuated means.

6. For use with an industrial truck having an upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage, load engaging mechanism comprising a boom support member secured to the load supporting carriage, a saddle support member mounted in said boom support member for rotary movement about a vertical axis, said saddle support member having horizontal forwardly extending platform means, forwardly projecting boom means pivotally mounted at its rear end to said saddle support member about a horizontal axis, crank arm means secured to the rear end of said boom means, power actuated means extending generally horizontally immediately below said boom means, said power actuated means having connection at one end with said crank arm means for efiecting pivotal movement of the latter together with said boom means whereby said boom means may be elevated, said power actuated means being anchored to the platform means of said saddle support member forwardly of the said horizontal axis, the platform means of said saddle support member being adapted to receive and support said boom means when the latter is horizontal to thereby relieve stresses on said power actuated means, and a power driven winch carried by said saddle support member and having an extensible and retractable load engaging member extending downwardly from the forward end of said boom means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,837,486 Remde Dec. 22, 1931 2,392,004 Sherman Jan. 1, 1946 2,445,614 Flynn et al July 20, 1948 2,493,750 Bucksath Jan. 10, 1950 2,537,755 Harbaugh Jan. 9, 1951 2,557,852 Winkel June 19, 1951 2,613,829 Gault Oct. 14, 1952 

